The word a)po/stoloj in Heb 3,1 is seen as a reference to the risen Jesus in Heb 2,12 who has been “sent” by God to reveal God’s name as Moses was “sent” to
reveal God’s name. Since Heb 2,12 is an allusion to the Christian tôdâ known as the Eucharist, the parallel with the word a)rxiereu/j is appropriate. The risen Christ is the son who reveals his father to those who have faith-trust as Jesus had faithtrust in the face of death. This revelation of a piece with a central theological theme of the New Testament, and is an invitation to enter liturgically into the death of Jesus so as to enter into his relation of son with his father.

oJ ajjpovstolo" in Hebrews 3,1 257
present saving power of the Lordâ€ (22). It is the understood supposition which
is the basis for all prayer. Specifically, the name is hwhy, â€œLordâ€` (kuvrio" in the
LXX) (23).
Possibility #2: In the context of Ex 3,14 the word â€œnameâ€ refers to the
participial phrase oJ w[n of the Septuagint (24). This participle of eijmiv in the
context would seem to have the force of an identification designed to
emphasize Godâ€™s fidelity. He is the one who â€œisâ€, i.e., who does not vary.
Beneath this functional designation there may well be implications involving
ontology: Godâ€™s function is unvarying because by nature he is unvarying. His
word is absolutely reliable because his existence is absolute.
Both possibilities #1 and #2 are appropriate for the context of Heb 2,12.
The â€œLordâ€ as the basis for prayer is certainly a fitting name for Jesus to
announce to his brothers (#1). God as one who is faithful is certainly a fitting
name for Jesus to announce to his brothers (#2).
But possibility #3 would seem to be preferable to the other two possi-
bilities. The reason for this lies primarily in the immediate context of Heb
2,12, for in Heb 2,11 the â€œbrothersâ€ (ajdelfoiv) of 2,12 are constituted by the
distinctively Christian faith-trust which characterized Jesus in the face of
death as well as the faith-trust of Abraham (25). Thus, the â€œnameâ€ (o[noma)
indicated in 2,12 is an Old Testament word for God but given a Christian
meaning. In other words, the citation of Ps 22,22 at Heb 2,12 is yet another
example of the use by the author of Hebrews of Old Testament words with
New Testament meanings (26).
The precise force of the occurrence of the name of the Christian God in
Heb 2,12 becomes clear from the use of the word o{noma (â€œnameâ€) in relation
to the Christian tÃ´dÃ¢ at Heb 13,15. There, in a verse which explicitly mentions
the Christian tÃ´dÃ¢ (qusiva aijnevsew" â€” â€œsacrifice of praiseâ€) (27), the author
speaks of â€œoffering upâ€ (ajnafevrein) the sacrifice of praise through the
crucified Christ (di jaujtou') in confessing â€œhisâ€, i.e., Godâ€™s, name (tw'/ ojnovmati
autou). The explicit reference to Christâ€™s bloody sacrifice (cf. 13,12) situates
j '
the invocation of Godâ€™s name in a Christian context. The point of the mention
(22) â€œoÂµv is die gegenwÃ¤rtige Heilsmacht Jahwes â€¦â€ (H.-J. KRAUS, Psalmen, 1.
Teilband. Psalmen 1â€“59 [HKAT XV/1; Neukirchenâ€“Vluyn, 1979] 330). â€œWenn Israel zu
den Jahresfesten in Jerusalem versammelt ist (Ps 122,2ff.), dann erheben einzelne Beter ihre
Stimme. Sie werden zu Zeugen der groÃŸen Taten Gottes in ihrem Leben; sie verkÃ¼nden den
Namen Jahwes (Ps 22,23f), reden also nicht biographisch genau von ihrem â€˜eigenen Lebenâ€™
sondern von dem, was der Gott Israels vollbrachteâ€ (H.-J. KRAUS, Theologie der Psalmen
[HKAT, XV/3; Neukirchenâ€“Vluyn, 1979] 171-172).
(23) â€œâ€¦ stets ist in den Psalmen die Gegenwart und Gabe des Âµv die Vorausssetzung
alles Betens und Singens, Vertrauens und Hoffens, Rufens und Fragens. Und dieser Name ist
der Name hwhy (KRAUS, Theologie der Psalmen, 22). This explanation is to be supplemented
by Krausâ€™s explanation of the relation of hwhy to Âµyhla: â€œDie in Âµyhla angezeigte FÃ¼lle
gÃ¶ttlicher Macht ist Israel in der Selbstmitteilung des Namens hwhy zugewandt (KRAUS,
Theologie der Psalmen, 24). In terms of the Septuagint, kuvrio" and qeov" are in question.
(24) Text after WEVERS, Exodus, 85.
(25) Cf. J. SWETNAM, â€œejx eJnov"â€, 522-523.
(26) This use of Old Testament words to express New Testament meanings is
characteristic of Hebrews. Cf. SWETNAM, â€œejx eJnov"â€, 521-522, with regard to the word
teleiow of 2,10.
v
(27) The Latin form of qusiva aijnevsew" (sacrificium laudis) is found in the Canon of the
Latin Mass in the remembrance of the living.